The Lion King VI: Fall of Man
by Asante
Summary: Simba sets off on a quest to help a stranded human named Daniel return to his people, and hopefully to prevent the Pride Lands from being discovered by mankind. A sequel to my fan fiction The Lion King V: Man Comes to the Pride Lands, this fan fiction is written in collaboration with Dreaming18, Haradion, Incarnate Firefly, the almighty alphamon, and TRON0602.
1. Chapter 1

**The Lion King:**

**The Legend Continues (Collaboration)**

By Asante, Dreaming18, Haradion, Incarnate Firefly, the almighty alphamon, and TRON0602

Edited by Asante

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**Note: **The following is the recommended reading order of my fan fiction novels and short stories:

_The Lion King: A Father's Concern _**(short story)**

_The Lion King: Sarafina _**(short story)**

_The Lion King: Mheetu _**(short story)**

_The Lion King III: The Lost Prince _**(book)**

_The Lion King IV: The Rogue Pride _**(book)**

_The Lion King: Responsibilities _**(short story)**

_The Lion King V: Man Comes to the Pride Lands _**(book)**

_The Lion King VI: Fall of Man_ **(book)**

You can find all my fan fictions on my profile page. Technically, _Responsibilities_ takes place before _The Lost Prince_ but I recommend reading _Responsibilities_ last and then _Man Comes to the Pride Lands_ because _Responsibilities_ is a midquel of _Mheetu_ with a final section that takes place after _The Rogue Pride_, so it will probably spoil some of the plot for _Mheetu_, _The Lost Prince,_ and _The Rogue __Pride_.

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_**- Prologue based on fan art by angeltiger777. Used with her permission. Edited by Asante.**_

_**- Chapter 1, Scene 1**** by TRON0602. Edited by Asante.**_

_**- Chapter 1, Scene 2**** by the almighty alphamon. Edited by Asante.**_

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Prologue

Asante sat outside the den watching the sun rising in the distance. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and slammed flat on his back. As the young lion recovered, he saw Nuru standing over him with one paw on his chest.

"You should never let your guard down," Nuru teased.

"Nuru, what are you trying to do, kill me?" Asante snapped.

"Oh Sante, you wouldn't be breathing if that was my intention," Nuru said in a hushed tone. She didn't move her paw from his chest, staring at him with a look he'd never seen before. "What's the matter, Sante?" She leaned in closer and whispered in his ear. "Do I make you nervous?"

Asante jerked awake. He lay in the den with the rest of his pride, his family sleeping nearby. Early morning light filtered through the den's entrance.

"Just a dream," Asante sighed, not sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He glanced over to the dais where his father usually slept, and realized Simba was gone. He looked over to Daniel's cushions and noted the human's absence as well. "Where've they gone off to?" he mumbled.

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**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 1

Scene 1

Simba had left the den earlier that morning with Daniel, hoping to console him over the nightmare he had. They headed for the central waterhole. When they arrived, Daniel kneeled down and splashed water in his face while Simba took a drink. Once Simba had satisfied his thirst, he turned to the young human. "Daniel, I know you probably don't want me to ask, but what was your dream about?"

Daniel twitched and looked away from the aged king. "I don't remember."

Simba's eyes narrowed, observing the youth's subdued tone and the way he avoided eye contact. As cubs, Kopa, Kiara, and Asante had all acted the same way whenever they were caught in a lie. "Daniel, I'm not falling for that."

Daniel cursed under his breath and sat down by the waterhole. He took a deep breath and faced the lion. "I'm afraid of how you'll react if I tell you. Can't we just say I screamed cause I dreamed I was kissing Nuru or something?" Daniel shuddered at the thought.

Simba raised an eyebrow. "How do you think we'd react?"

Daniel hugged himself. "That you'll banish me."

Simba's eyes widened. "Banish you? Daniel, why would we banish you over a dream?"

Daniel turned away and pretended to be thirsty, cupping his hands to scoop some water for himself.

Simba leaned in closer. "It wasn't just a dream, was it?"

Daniel looked at Simba in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Simba then recounted a dream he once had when Kovu first joined the pride. He'd dreamt of Kovu throwing him into the gorge, mirroring Scar's murder of Mufasa. "The dream terrified me, so much so that it made trusting Kovu all the more difficult, but now I think I understand the real warning of the dream."

Daniel looked at him uncomprehendingly. "What warning? I thought you and Kovu were on good terms."

Simba smiled. "Yes, we are. I don't believe the dream was a warning against Kovu, it was warning me not to push him away - to let Kovu in and see the good in him."

Daniel shook his head. "Okay, I'm lost now."

Simba chuckled. "Think of it this way, had I not come around to Kiara's way of thinking - had I continued to treat Kovu as an enemy…"

Daniel nodded. "You're saying Kovu would have become your enemy like in the dream if you'd continued to treat him like one."

"Yes. Rafiki once told me that all dreams are messages from the Great Spirit, so we shouldn't ignore them, but we shouldn't fear them either. The problem with dreams is that we don't always interpret them correctly, which is why a second opinion could be helpful." Simba smiled coaxingly.

Daniel looked away again. "Did you tell anyone else about _your_ dream?"

Simba nodded. "For the longest time, I kept it to myself, and it weighed heavily upon my heart. Finally, when we learned Kiara was going to have a cub, I took her and Kovu aside, and I told them about the dream. I felt as if I were admitting to a terrible crime and I asked Kovu's forgiveness for distrusting him. Kovu and Kiara were very understanding, and it was Kiara who helped me reinterpret the dream. That nightmare never again troubled me."

Daniel pondered everything the king said. He sighed and turned to the lion. "Okay, I'll tell you about my dream."

Simba placed his paw on Daniel's shoulder. "You have my undivided attention."

Daniel slowly recounted his dream, taking a moment to once again explain the concept of a gun as he described the "sticks" the mural figures carried. Daniel believed these figures to be poachers, those who hunted animals for sport rather than food. He described the mural being covered in blood, concluding his narrative with a shudder.

Simba pondered Daniel's dream. "This is what you meant when you said you were afraid of drawing those who would harm my pride."

Daniel nodded. "So, when does the weight lift?"

Simba tilted his head in confusion. "Pardon?"

"You said that telling you about my nightmare would make me feel better - but I don't feel better."

Seeing how distressed Daniel was, Simba leaned in and nuzzled the human's cheek. "What do you think the dream is trying to tell you?"

Daniel rubbed his face. "People - that is, other humans - are trying to find me. When they do - when they come to rescue me, they'll find out about the Pride Lands, and so will the poachers. I'm the reason the poachers will come. I'm the reason…" Daniel's eyes filled with tears. "I'm the reason you're all going to die."

Simba regarded Daniel solemnly. "Daniel, these dreams - these messages from the Great Spirit are not given to us if there's nothing that can be done to change them. If this is a vision of what's to come, there is a way to prevent it."

Daniel grew quiet. "Are you going to banish me?"

Simba shook his head. "Never, you're a part of our pride now - a part of our family. I could never turn you away."

Daniel closed his eyes. "If you're not going to banish me, then I'll just have to leave."

Simba gaped at Daniel. "What?"

"I wish there was another way, Simba, but the risk is too great for me to stay here."

Simba regarded Daniel in silence for a moment. "If that is what you think best, then I will escort you home myself." He could already see the human moving to protest but quickly silenced him with a stern look. When Daniel backed off, the lion smirked. "Glad to see you agree, now let's head back."

Daniel stared at Simba for a moment, and then threw his arms around the lion's neck, hugging the king fiercely, both in gratitude for Simba's kindness but also in sorrow, for his fears were coming true; Daniel was leaving the Pride Lands.

As they walked back to the kopje, Simba pondered another decision he'd made. He braced himself for the pride's reaction, for this would change everything.

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Scene 2

It was evening but even with sunset approaching, the heat was rough. Kneeling by a small waterhole, Daniel splashed some water on his face. He looked up and noticed the lionesses returning with a gazelle after their hunt. He turned to Simba, who lounged on a rock deep in thought. "Simba," Daniel called. Simba looked at Daniel, who nodded to remind Simba that it was time for the announcement. Simba returned his nod and stood, calling the pride together at the kopje.

Kopa was napping on a boulder, exhausted from overseeing the sparring lessons that day. Kovu walked over and lightly smacked Kopa upside the head to wake him. Kopa's eyes popped open as the rest of the pride gathered. He yawned loudly, a little drowsy and not happy about the rude awakening. "Jackhole," he groused.

"Tool," Kovu countered mildly. "Now hush up, your dad has something to say."

The pride formed a circle around Simba, who took a deep breath.

Asante stood between Daniel and Nuru. "Is something up?" Asante whispered.

Daniel didn't reply, watching Simba expectantly.

"I don't know how to say this gently," Simba said, "so I'm going to make it quick. Daniel plans to return to his homeland."

Asante turned to Daniel in shock. "Wait, what?"

There was murmuring amongst the pride.

"And I shall escort him there," Simba added.

There were exclamations of shock from every lion.

Kiara darted over to her father. "You can't be serious."

Kopa snapped out of his drowsiness. "Dad, you're way too old to make the journey!"

Simba glanced at Kopa with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, I mean," Kopa stammered, "not to say you're old - or not that you're that old but - but you're older than…"

"I get your meaning, Son," Simba replied cynically.

"Do you have any idea what could happen to you?" Kiara fretted. "You're our king, we can't lose you!"

"I know the stakes Kiara," Simba replied, "which is why at sunrise I shall be stepping down and relinquishing the throne to you, Kopa, Kovu, and Vitani."

The whole pride gasped in shock.

"You've got to be joking," Kopa protested. "You're not done. We're not ready." Kopa looked down timidly. "I didn't even receive proper training as a child, living out in the wilderness."

Simba looked to his son and smiled. "Neither did I, Son, but I retook the kingdom without anyone to train me. My father and the Great Kings were there for me, just as they'll always be there to guide you, and so will I."

Kopa turned to his mother. "Mom, snap him out of it."

Nala looked to her husband. "I agree that Daniel should be accompanied on his journey, but must it really be you, Simba?"

Simba nodded. "As the one who welcomed Daniel into our kingdom, I feel it is my duty to escort him home."

Nala sighed. "I don't know if I fully agree with your reasoning, but if you really believe this is something you must do, than you have my support. You know I respect and trust in your wisdom."

Simba smiled and turned to Daniel, who watched with sadness in his eyes. "Then it's settled. Now then, I would like others to accompany us. Who is willing to do so?" Several members of the pride stepped forward. Simba laughed. "I appreciate the concern, but I would prefer that we move in a small group so that we don't draw as much attention."

"Hey, move it. Warthog and meerkat coming through," Timon demanded as he and Pumbaa pushed their way through the crowd of lions. Timon looked up at his friend. "Simba, we've taken care of you since you were a kid, and as a brave and heroic meerkat once said before aiding his king and queen…"

Pumbaa grunted.

Timon rolled his eyes. "And his noble steed…"

"Hey!" Pumbaa exclaimed.

"…In defeating an evil dictator, 'We're with ya 'til the end.'"

Simba smiled and looked to the rest of the pride. "Anyone else?"

Asante wanted to go, but he was too nervous to raise his paw.

"I'll go, Your Majesty," Nuru called out. Asante gaped at her in shock. "My father aided you in your moment of need, and so shall I."

Simba sighed. "I appreciate that, Nuru, and I'm sure you're father would be proud."

Nuru smiled. "I can be ready at a moment's…"

"But your life is too important to risk. If we lost you, who would be the heir to Serpent River?"

Nuru was stunned. "What? But I need to do this! If I'm to prove I'm worthy of ruling Serpent River, I'm obligated to aid a fellow ruler."

"As Malka's ambassador, we have a responsibility to protect you," Simba said.

"But…"

"That is my final decision," Simba firmly declared.

Nuru huffed in frustration and stepped away. Asante breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't about to lose Nuru now, especially with his friend Daniel leaving - and especially after he'd just begun to realize how he felt about Nuru.

Daniel stood as Simba approached him. "Well, they took that a lot better than I was expecting."

Simba smiled a little. "I promise I will get you home, my friend. We leave at dawn."

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**Continue to Chapter 2**

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**Note:** While angeltiger777 may not be one of my official co-authors, she's supplied some funny 'outtakes' for my fan fiction, and also did some fan art of Asante and Nuru. She was nice enough to let me use the story from her fan art description for the prologue of this book. Thanks for the support, Angel. Now I present to you all Angeltiger777's continuation of the outtakes:

**After Daniel and Aslan took the picture together, another stagehand – a young woman with brunette hair and black glasses – noticed the golden lion. "Aslan?" she called, making a beeline towards them.**

**"Angel, long time no see," Aslan greeted happily.**

**Daniel looked at the girl in surprise. "Wait, Angel? You know the Great Aslan?"**

**"Well I was his groomer before I was hired here," Angel said shyly, rubbing the back of her head.**

**"So Angel, how is work going?" Aslan asked.**

**"It's a lot more manes then I'm use to but can't complain," Angel answered.**

**"Angel, where's the L'Oréal? I can't find it!" Simba shouted in a panicked voice off-screen.**

**Angel sighed. "Good to see you again, Aslan, but I gotta go. The Drama King needs me."**


	2. Chapter 2

**_- Chapter 2, Scenes 1-3 by TRON0602. Edited by Asante._**

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**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 2

Scene 1

The next morning, Daniel and Simba prepared for their journey at the base of Pride Rock. Timon and Pumbaa stood nearby, debating on what kinds of bugs they should eat along the way.

"Crunchy!" Timon shouted.

"Slimy!" Pumbaa retorted.

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Girls," Daniel groaned, "you're both pretty, all right?" He sighed as he packed his scribbled notepad diary and sadly looked up at Pride Rock.

Noticing Daniel's sad expression, Simba nuzzled him. "It's not too late for you to change your mind. You don't have to leave. I'm sure we can still insure your dream doesn't come true."

Daniel smiled but shook his head. "I appreciate that, Simba, but I have to go home. I got to make sure the poachers never find the Pride Lands."

Simba sighed and looked up at the den's entrance. The pride began to gather outside. "It's almost time."

"I need to check on Faraji's leg," Daniel noted.

Simba nodded and walked with Daniel back to the lions' den.

Faraji seemed to be doing well. He wasn't in pain and his leg didn't show any signs of circulatory problems, though he did fidget quite a bit as Daniel checked his splint, repeatedly moving his leg away. Daniel smacked the injured lion's rump. "Faraji, hold still."

Faraji groaned. "It itches."

"Listen to Daniel, Faraji," Simba instructed with a smile. "He knows what he's doing."

"Yes, Uncle Simba," Faraji sighed, lowering his head. "Seriously, though, I'm bored out of my mind."

Simba chuckled and stepped away to speak with his family. He nuzzled Nala. "Until I return, my love."

"Be careful," Nala whispered, holding back her tears. "Don't do anything reckless. You're always getting yourself into dangerous situations."

Simba touched his chest and pretended his feelings were hurt. "Oh come now, Nala, I'm not that bad."

"No?" Nala raised an eyebrow.

Simba sighed. "Okay, maybe I am that bad, but I promise I'll be careful this time." He licked Nala's cheek and received a tender nuzzle in return. He looked to his children and noticed Kiara holding her head low, tears in her eyes. "Kiara, my darling, are you all right?"

Kiara looked up at her father. "You will come back, won't you?"

Simba walked over to Kiara and wrapped a foreleg around her, pulling her against his chest. "Honey, have I ever failed to come home before?"

"You were almost killed when the Outlanders ambushed you," Kiara pointed out.

Simba sighed and released Kiara. "True, but I got away, didn't I?"

"And Kopa told me you were almost killed by Adui in the Elephant Graveyard. You almost didn't come home then."

Simba gave his son a dark look. "Kopa," he scolded, "did she really need to know that?"

"She's a future queen," Kopa pointed out. "She has a right to know these things, especially when it concerns the wellbeing of her king."

"You see what I mean about putting yourself in dangerous situations?" Nala pointed out.

Simba rubbed his face with his paw. "Okay, point taken." He stepped forward to embrace Kopa. "Be at ease, my children. I promise I will return to you safely."

"You better," Kopa said, blinking back the tears in his eyes. "If you don't, I'm ditching the throne and coming after you." He pressed his chest against Simba's and nuzzled his father's neck.

Simba chuckled and patted Kopa's back with his paw. Releasing his son, he turned to his grandchildren. "Nyota, Mufasa," he intoned, "treasures of the Pride Lands."

Nyota hurried over and nuzzled Simba under his chin. "I don't know what everyone's getting so worked up about," Nyota said, feigning indifference. "It's just a road trip."

"Exactly," Simba chuckled, licking Nyota's forehead, "and I'll have Timon and Pumbaa watching my back."

"That's not very reassuring," Fasa sighed as he too nuzzled his grandfather.

Simba chuckled and touched his grandson's shoulder. Turning to the last of his family, Simba smiled tenderly. "Asante," he sighed.

Asante lowered his head meekly. "Dad?"

The king stepped closer and placed his forelimb around Asante's shoulders, drawing the prince against him. "My dear boy."

Asante buried his face against Simba's chest, nuzzling into his father's silky mane. "I don't want to lose you," the prince whispered. "I need you, Dad."

"To you most of all, I promise I will return," Simba whispered back.

"I'm scared."

Simba licked Asante's forehead. "You will find your courage." He took a step back and turned to the rest of the pride, roaring once to garner everyone's attention. "Now's the moment we've been waiting for since Kopa and Kiara came into this world." With that, Simba exited the cave, the pride following.

The lions gathered at the base of the promontory, the sun slowly rising before them. Simba and Nala stood facing the pride, the sunlight against their backs as Kopa and Kiara came forward. The prince and princess sat on their hunches before the king and queen. Simba touched Kopa's forehead with his paw. "Kopa, on this day, I give you my strength, my wisdom, and my faith as you take your place as the supreme protector and father of the pride." Having finished his oration, Simba removed his paw from Kopa's head. "I know that you will do me proud, just as you've done from the moment you were born."

Fear crept into Kopa's eyes, but he lifted his head proudly. "Thank you, Father."

Nala followed Simba's example and placed her paw on Kiara's brow. "Kiara, on this day, I give you my strength, my wisdom, and my faith as you take your place as the supreme huntress and mother of the pride." Nala drew her paw back. "I'm so proud of you, my sweetheart."

Kiara smiled. "Thank you, Mother."

Simba and Nala both stepped back and then bowed to Kopa and Kiara, signifying that the prince and princess were now king and queen regnant of the Pride Lands. Following Simba and Nala's cue, the rest of the pride lowered their heads and bowed to the new coregents.

Kiara and Kopa nervously looked around at the other lions. Kopa scratched the back of his neck. "Um, do you feel any different?" he asked Kiara.

Kiara glanced at her brother and shook her head. "Not really."

Simba looked over his shoulder and smiled upon seeing the approaching herds. "Your subjects will be here soon," he told his children.

"_Our_ subjects?" Kiara gulped. "I'm having second thoughts."

"Too late," Kopa groaned.

Daniel approached Kopa and Kiara wearing his backpack and carrying Rafiki's walking stick. "Do you mind if I have a word with you two? It's important."

"We're kinda in the middle of our coronation," Kiara pointed out.

Kopa's eyes widened. "Yeah, we can talk!" he yelped, standing up quickly. "We'll be right back," he told Simba and Nala.

The former king and queen glanced at each other. "Well, it will take a few moments before the herds gather," Nala conceded.

"Cool beans," Kopa said quickly, nudging Kiara and Daniel away.

Kopa and Kiara lead Daniel to the den's entrance. "What do you wish to discuss, Daniel?" Kiara asked.

"If you can make this conversation last till we die of old age, that would be awesome," Kopa added. Kiara jabbed him in the shoulder. "Hey, you want to stall just as much as I do."

"Your dad told you about my dream, right?"

Kopa cocked an eyebrow. "You mean your _prophetic_ dream?" he asked skeptically. "Yeah, but seriously, you don't seriously believe…"

"I will whack you with this," Daniel threatened, brandishing Rafiki's stick.

Kopa eyed the walking stick warily. "So yeah, about that prophecy," he said, faking a smile.

Daniel sighed. "I wanted to warn you in case – well, if I can't prevent the vision from coming true and the poachers – the Lion Hunters do come here, I need you to warn the other animals. Tell them to run away from any humans they see."

"Are these poachers really that dangerous?" Kiara asked.

Daniel took off his backpack and pulled out the broken gun he showed Simba a couple of days before. "This is the weapon they'll use," he explained. "It's designed to shoot a bullet – um, a small metal stone – from this shaft."

Kopa looked unimpressed. "So it shoots stones, what's the big deal?"

"The bullets move so fast that they can rip right through you. If it went through your spine, you'd be paralyzed. If it went through your brain or heart, you'd die instantly."

Kopa's eyes widened. "Okay, I get the point."

"We'll warn everyone to run from any humans they see," Kiara promised, "aside from you."

Daniel nodded. "If you have to, you should protect yourselves." He packed the gun back in his bag. "I hate to say this but the poachers won't show you any mercy, so don't show them any."

While Daniel spoke with Kopa and Kiara, Kovu approached Simba. "Um, excuse me, Simba."

"Yes, Kovu?" Simba replied, glancing at his son-in-law curiously.

Kovu cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say goodbye – and to wish you a safe journey."

Simba smiled. "I appreciate that."

Kovu cleared his throat. "Simba, I'm sorry for the way things started between us. All those years ago, I joined this pride with the sole purpose of murdering you. I can't tell you enough how sorry I…"

"Kovu, that's in the past," Simba assured him. "I forgave you."

Kovu lowered his head. "Simba, you're more of a father to me than Adui or Scar ever were."

Simba smiled warmly. "I'm proud to have another son in you, Kovu." He placed a forelimb around Kovu's shoulders and hugged him.

"Why are all my in-laws so huggy?" Vitani sighed.

Simba chuckled and turned to Vitani. "Should I take that to mean you won't miss me, Vitani?"

"I wouldn't say that," Vitani replied with a shrug. "You're not so bad."

Kopa and Kiara returned then with Daniel. Simba surveyed his family approvingly. "It is time," he intoned, turning and walking up the promontory.

Kopa and Kiara looked at each other and took a deep breath, following their father. As they came to stand with Simba on the edge of the promontory, the three lions gazed on the crowd below. Simba smiled one last time at his children, and then stepped back so that they could take the throne.

Kiara felt her heart quake and almost turned tail, but Kopa nudged her and gave her a supportive smile. "I'm with you, Squirt."

Kiara smiled back. "Right back at you, Fluffy."

Taking a deep breath, Kopa and Kiara roared out to the kingdom, asserting themselves as the new rulers of the Pride Lands. Simba and the other lions then joined them, and the herds applauded joyfully.

Once the cheering died down, Simba, Daniel, Timon, and Pumbaa made their way to the bottom of Pride Rock, ready to leave for their journey. The pride watched, some calling out farewells. Daniel stopped and covered his eyes.

"Daniel?" Simba asked, nuzzling the human.

"I'm fine," Daniel mumbled, clearing his throat.

"Dan!" someone called. Daniel turned around to find Asante hurrying to catch up with them. Asante wrapped his forelegs around Daniel, almost knocking the human over. "I'm gonna miss you so much. I'm gonna be so lonely without you."

Daniel hugged Asante back. "You won't be alone, Asante." He let the lion go and stepped back. "You'll have a certain lioness to keep you company."

Asante blanched. "Dude, shut up," he muttered.

Simba turned to the other lions. "Farewell, my pride, my family. I swear on Mohatu's mane that I will return."

Kiara stepped forward. "Good luck, Father. May the Great Kings guide you safely on your journey."

Simba nodded. With a look to Daniel, Timon, and Pumbaa, he turned and began their journey. As they walked, they heard the roars of the pride and Simba could only smile.

* * *

Scene 2

They were halfway to the Pride Land border, and Pumbaa began singing. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps to…"

"Don't sing that, Pumbaa!" Timon shouted.

"Why, Timon?" Pumbaa asked. "I thought we loved that song."

"The last time we sang that song, Nala tried to eat you. That song's bad luck!"

Pumbaa lowered his head. "Sorry."

Simba chuckled and turned to Daniel, who was mumbling a song under his breath. "Asante sana. Squash banana. Wiwi nugu. Mi mi ap…"

"Where did you hear that song?" Simba gasped.

Daniel blinked, coming out of his daydream. "Huh?" He rubbed his head. "Um, actually – I don't remember. That's kinda odd, right?"

Simba looked at him curiously for a moment. "Rafiki used to sing that."

Remembering some Swahili from his dictionary, Daniel took a moment to translate the song. "Thank you very much, squash banana, you're a baboon, and I'm not." He scratched his head. "Wow, that's a really bizarre song."

Simba regarded Daniel for a moment, and then chuckled. "Yes it is. Sometimes I wonder if Rafiki ate the wrong kind of fruit." A branch fell off a tree they passed under and landed on Simba's head. Simba yelped in pain.

"Jeez!" Timon gasped. He ran to Simba's side. "Buddy, you okay?"

Simba rubbed his head, and then smiled wistfully, thinking of the night Rafiki found him in the oasis – and hit him over the head with his stick. "You're still trying to teach me, aren't you?" he asked, looking up into the sky.

Daniel, Timon, and Pumbaa stared at Simba nervously. "Um, Simba, who're you talking to?" Pumbaa asked.

"Oh man, that whack to the head was too much for him," Timon whispered.

Simba laughed. "I was just thinking about Rafiki," he explained. "Don't mind me."

The party continued on their journey. They passed an aardvark colony not long after. One of the aardvark's came up to Simba. "Ave a dood twip, Simba."

Simba paused and smiled at the aardvark. "Thank you, Daabi. I will return soon."

Daabi smiled impishly. "Dood, I wood ate to lose my special lion." She batted her eyelashes at Simba before rejoining her colony.

Simba's eyes widened and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Let us continue," he suggested.

"Sure," Daniel said, snickering.

Simba shot Daniel a dark look. "Something funny?"

"Nope," Daniel giggled, "She's quite a keeper, that one. I'll admit she's a bit smaller than what you're used to, but at least she's more down to earth."

Timon and Pumbaa burst out laughing. "More down to earth!" Timon chortled. "Priceless!"

"Simba and Daabi sitting in a tree…" Pumbaa began to chant.

"Guys, that's not funny," Simba asserted. "Daabi and I were playmates when I was a cub, that's all. She had a little crush on me, it's no big deal."

"Seriously, do none of you lions understand the concept of a food chain," Daniel laughed.

Simba rolled his eyes. Then an evil grin spread across his face. "So Daniel, how have you and Nuru been getting on?"

Daniel came to a halt. "What?"

"You know she wasn't particularly subtle back in Serpent River." Simba waggled his eyebrows.

"She wasn't being serious!" Daniel protested. "She was just playing a joke on me!"

"Sure she was," Simba replied in a playful tone.

Daniel narrowed his eyes at Simba. "Truce?"

Simba touched his chin as if he were considering it. "Truce," he agreed.

* * *

Scene 3

Later that afternoon, Nuru was alone in the Pride Rock den, pacing the chamber in frustration. "This is so stupid," she muttered. "How could he refuse my help like that? So what if I'm my pride's ambassador? I can handle myself better than he can." She slashed the wall angrily, leaving four claw marks. Realizing how poorly she was behaving, Nuru stopped and took a seat. She closed her eyes, and her thoughts wandered…

_Malka waited at the entrance of the den in Serpent's Head, speaking with a lioness. "How many have joined him?"_

_"Only a couple," the lioness replied. "They're not bad boys, they're just confused. Once we confront them, I'm sure they'll realize their mistake."_

_Malka nodded and glanced over his shoulder. "My love, we need to go."_

_"I know," Pele replied. Malka's youthful bride knelt down and nuzzled her cub. "Nuru, my sweetheart, you stay here with the pride. We'll be back soon."_

_"Can't I come?" Nuru asked. At four months, she had started to grow a black slicked-back strip of mane._

_Pele shook her head. She was a beautiful lioness with tea rose orange fur. Nuru shared her mother's gray eyes. "It's not safe for you."_

_"If it's not safe for me, it's not safe for you or Daddy either," Nuru protested._

_"If we don't go now, Adui will leave with the boys," the other lioness insisted._

_"Your father and I can take care of ourselves," Pele assured Nuru tenderly. "We'll be back, I promise."_

"You didn't keep your promise," Nuru muttered, coming out of her daydream. She stood up and made her way to the den's exit. "Neither will Simba, stubborn old fool. I'm going to help him whether he wants me to or not." She cautiously stepped outside. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Nuru bolted from the den and away from Pride Rock, following Simba and Daniel's scents.

Asante returned to Pride Rock a few moments later. "Hey Nuru, it's me," he called, standing outside the entrance. "I wanted to ask if maybe you wanted to go hunting together." Asante paused, waiting for an answer. When he received none, he went inside, thinking Nuru had fallen asleep. "Nuru?" He looked around. "Not here," he sighed. He glanced at the wall and noticed Nuru's claw marks. "Oh, that's reassuring," he groaned.

Wanting to make sure Nuru was all right, Asante left the den and followed her scent. As the trail led him further and further from Pride Rock, he became more nervous. "Nah, she didn't…" he sighed. "No, she wouldn't…"

The stars were out by the time Asante crested a hill at the kingdom's border, the desert spread out before him. Squinting, he could make out a light gold figure with a black mane rushing off into the distance. "She did," he gasped. "Oh no, no, no…" His first instinct was to run back to Pride Rock and alert the pride. "There's not enough time," he muttered. "She'll be gone by then." He turned around and took a step back toward Pride Rock. Then he turned around and took two steps after Nuru. He looked back at Pride Rock, and then turned back to where Nuru disappeared. "Oh f-ck me!" He dashed out into the desert in pursuit of Nuru.

* * *

**Continue to Chapter 3**

* * *

**Note from TRON0602: **Hey everybody! TRON0602 here! I'm the author of the stories _Lion King: A Tale of Two Kings_, _Simba: The Lion Avatar_, and am one of Asante's co-authors. In celebration of this fact, I wish to entertain you with a little outtake of my own:

**"Damn it Tron! I still can't find the L'Oreal anywhere!" Simba began hyperventilating.**

**Tron sighed. "I know Simba. Don't worry, we'll get your mane washed."**

**Simba in his panic then screamed, "What if someone stole it?"**

**Tron laughed. "Oh come on, Simba! who would steal L'Oreal?"**

**Simba glared at Tron when he was shoved aside by a white lion. "Watch where you're going, you walking stuffed animal," the white lion said.**

**Simba growled at the lion. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"**

**"No one important, I would imagine," the white lion said with a shrug.**

**Simba grabbed his mane. "Listen you… Wow, your mane is so soft! How did you get it so soft?"**

**"I used L'Oreal." The white lion held up the bottle. "I didn't think I had any but then I found some lying around in that room over there with my name on it. I'm Kimba, by the way." He pointed to Simba's room.**

**Simba was petting Kimba's mane in awe when he gasped and then roared, "YOU STOLE MY L'OREAL! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU LION REJECT!"** **Simba tackled Kimba and the L'Oreal bottle went flying.**

**"My L'Oreal!" the two lions cried in unison. Both pounced at it simultaneously and began wrestling over it – wrestling for the right to have the finest looking mane of all time.**

**Asante's Response:** Um, wow, okay then. Firstly, _Kimba the White Lion_ cameo, woot! Secondly, this here is the reason Simba's mane looks so snuggly.


	3. Chapter 3

**_- _****_Chapter 3, Scenes 1-2 by Asante._**

* * *

**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 3

Scene 1

"And if you look out your left window, you can see a migration of zebras and wildebeests," Charlie announced, gesturing to the left side of the plane.

The passengers looked out the window and spotted three zebra and two wildebeest standing in the middle of an open field. "Do five animals make a migration?" one passenger mumbled.

"Now, interesting thing," Charlie continued, clearing her throat nervously, "there are several reasons why zebras and wildebeests migrate together, creating a sort of symbiotic relationship."

A boy in the back row started kicking the seat ahead of him. The woman sitting in front of him turned around and addressed the boy's mother. "Um, excuse me, could you please tell your kid not to kick my seat?"

"Yeah, sure," the boy's mother said distractedly while texting with her cell phone.

"Can anyone tell me what symbiosis is?" Charlie asked.

"It's when black alien goo turns Spider Man into Black Suit Spider Man," the boy called, continuing to kick the seat in front of him.

Charlie paused. "Um… No, actually, symbiosis is when two organisms form a mutually beneficial relationship. For instance, zebras help wildebeests by sheering away long grass, which is the zebra's preferred meal, and in doing so makes it easier for wildebeests to eat the short grass."

"Okay, seriously!" the woman before snapped, "tell your kid to stop kicking my chair, it's really irritating!"

"Lady, chill out," the mother retorted insolently. "He's not hurting anyone."

"In reciprocation," Charlie continued, rubbing the back of her neck anxiously, "the wildebeests help the zebras find water sources because wildebeests can smell water, which is a useful skill to have during dry seasons."

"Excuse Ma'am," a male tourist in the front row interjected, "but how much longer will the tour be?"

"Yeah," another tourist called, "I was told this would only be an hour, but it's almost been two."

Charlie cleared her throat again. "Why don't I check with the pilot on that?" she suggested, turning and leaning in to speak with Adia and Bahari. "Time to call it in," she whispered.

"We haven't covered enough ground," Adia whispered back.

"Do you want to end up in Guantanamo Bay?" Charlie hissed.

"Are terrorists in Africa sent to Guantanamo Bay?" Bahari asked, sitting in the chair beside Adia.

"Does it matter?" Charlie sighed.

"Fine," Adia snapped. "We're thirty minutes from HQ."

"Thirty minutes?" Charlie moaned. "I have to keep these people entertained for thirty more minutes?"

"Yes," Adia said.

"I hate giving tours," Charlie growled. "I hate dealing with people. It's the reason I became a vet, animals don't talk back." She turned around to address the tourists.

"Would we really get in trouble for doing this?" Bahari asked.

"Yep," Adia grunted, turning the plane around. "We're technically high-jacking these plane tours."

Bahari gulped and leaned back in his seat.

"Hey, as long as the passengers don't catch on, we're good."

"I HAVE TO PEE!" the boy in the back row shouted.

"STOP KICKING MY CHAIR!" the woman sitting in front of him shouted back.

Bahari and Adia shared a nervous look. "Yeah, we're not getting any good reviews for this tour," Adia mumbled.

Bahari looked out the side window again, scanning the hills. "I don't know how much more of this I can take. I keep praying to see him walking along those hills, but…"

"They're alive," Adia insisted, resolutely looking forward.

Bahari glanced at Adia curiously. "You care about my son that much?"

"Yes," Adia replied. After a pause, she cleared her throat awkwardly. "I care about both of them, Dan _and_ Bruce."

Bahari nodded. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not giving up on my boy."

* * *

Scene 2

Late that evening, in a small village just outside the boundary of the Simba Game Preserve, a thin middle-aged man adjusted his radio. He could faintly hear the station he wanted through the static and tried tweaking the dial gently. He lost the signal and banged the radio on the table.

"Sefu, you're going to break it," the man's brother complained in Swahili, reclining on his cot.

"Good," Sefu replied. "You wasted our money on this thing, Jengo."

"It works just fine for me," Jengo noted mildly.

"Damn the signal out here. Why'd we bother buying this thing?"

"We got a good deal from that tourist."

"I hate tourists," Sefu grumbled, turning the radio off. He stood and picked up his rifle. "I'm going to take a walk."

Jengo leaned back on his pillow and closed his eyes. "Do whatever you like," he muttered.

Sefu stepped outside and made his way to the edge of the village, continuing to mutter to himself. He wrinkled his nose against the smell of goat manure and the deafening silence of the savannah. "I miss the city," he sighed, coming to stand just outside the village border. "We need to move back. Better yet, we should go to Johannesburg."

As he stared out into the dark fields surrounding the village, he noticed two small lights. Curious, he started to walk towards the lights, thinking they were small flashlights. The lights moved, but not separately. They moved in unison, almost like they were attached to the same object. It dawned on Sefu that the lights might be eyes, reflecting the lanterns from the village.

Sefu paused and swallowed nervously. "Stay calm, Sefu," he told himself, "it's probably just a jackal." As he said this, he readied his gun, holding it against his shoulder and leveling it at the two eyes. "They're harmless without their pack – have to hunt in groups." He raised his voice and called out to the animal, hoping to scare it off. "Isn't that right, you wild dog?"

The lights started to come closer.

Sefu gulped again and took a step back. "Easy there, fella," he called. "Go run along." He waved the barrel of his gun in a shooing motion. "Don't want to hurt you."

As the lights continued to approach, Sefu recognized the creature's outline. His blood ran cold when he saw how large the beast was, standing eye-to-eye with him. Sefu watched in terror as the thing slowly came into view, its mouth opening to reveal a set of razor-sharp fangs.

"Help!" Sefu screamed, turning and bolting for the village. He could hear the creature pursuing him, but didn't dare look back. He made it to the village border and ducked behind a hut. He waited, listening for the creature's footfalls. When he heard none, he peaked around the building. The creature was gone.

With a relieved sigh, Sefu hurried back to his hut. He stepped inside, finding the lights turned off. "Jengo, wake up!" he shouted. "There's a wild animal near the village!"

Jengo didn't respond, lying motionless on his cot.

"Jengo?" Sefu shouted again. He reached up and turned on the overhead light bulb, revealing a ghastly sight.

Jengo lay dead on the cot, his throat clawed open. A pool of blood was forming beneath him, still dripping from his wounds.

Sefu screamed and backed out of the hut. As he did, he heard a low growl behind him and froze. Hands trembling, he readied his gun and turned to face the animal. The creature glared at him from the shadow of another hut. Sefu raised his rifle and fired. The monster dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the shot, and then lunged forward.

Sefu's horrified scream alerted the other villagers, who came running with more weapons. They arrived on the scene too late, discovering the beast as it tore into its latest victim. One villager lifted an oil lamp, trying to discern what sort of beast it was. The creature turned to face the villagers, a murderous look in its teal eyes.

The villagers backed away in fright. They all raised their weapons to shoot, but the creature disappeared into the darkness at lightning speed. Just as quickly as it vanished, it attacked again, instantly killing the one holding the lantern. The lamp crashed against Sefu and Jengo's hut, splashing the shanty with oil. Flames spread along the wooden structure, glowing embers drifting into the air and landing on other huts, setting the thatched roofs alight. The flames cast shadows all around them, and the creature became the shadows, impossible to pinpoint as it stalked its prey. One by one, it picked the villagers off.

Successful in his mission, the creature left the village and its dead inhabitants to be consumed by the flames. He walked away until he was a safe distance from the fire. Sitting on his haunches, the creature turned and admired his handiwork.

"They encroach further on us," he growled, "but I've proven who the true hunter is. We can defeat them, Ni." He turned and began his next journey. "To the Pride Lands."

No one ever found out what destroyed the village. Some reported that the destruction was the work of militants – or mercenaries. The idea that one lone animal could reign down such carnage was unthinkable.

* * *

**Continue to Chapter 4**


	4. Chapter 4

**_- Chapter 4, Scenes 1-3 by Dreaming18. Edited by Asante._**

* * *

**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 4

Scene 1

It was the second day of their journey. After travelling for most of the morning, Simba's party was relieved when they stumbled upon a small oasis in the desert. Late morning sunlight illuminated the scene before them. Seeing how exhausted everyone was, Simba announced they would stop and rest for a while, which was music to everyone's ears.

"About time," Timon said as they entered the oasis. "Come on, Pumbaa, let's find some grub. I'm starving!" Timon disappeared into a small hedge, Pumbaa eagerly following.

Daniel sat down on a large rock, sighing in relief. Simba took a seat beside him, glad to be off his paws for a while. After the relief had passed, Daniel's expression turned somber.

"Daniel, what's the matter?" Simba asked.

"I guess it's just really starting to sink in that I'm never going to see the others again," Daniel sighed.

Simba was about to reply when they were interrupted by Timon and Pumbaa's screams. The duo came running from the hedges, sending leaves flying.

"He's going to eat us!" Timon shouted, hiding behind Simba.

"Calm down, Timon. Who's going to eat you?" Simba inquired calmly.

"A lion, what else?" Timon said, poking his head out from behind Simba's leg to see if the assailant was coming. Daniel stood up and also retreated to a safe distance.

"I'm not going to eat you," came an angry voice. Out of the bushes stepped Nuru, looking quite irritated. Yet again, Timon and Pumbaa mistook her for a rogue male. "Honestly, this is getting really old."

"Nuru?" Simba exclaimed, gaining the lioness' attention. "What are you...?" Before he could finish, Asante appeared behind her. Simba frowned at the pair. "Asante," he said crossly.

"Hi Dad." Asante mumbled timidly.

"Say what now?" Nuru grunted, looking over her shoulder at Asante. "Oh come on, I can't believe you followed me here. I don't need your protection, I can look after myself."

"That's not why I followed you..."

"What are the two of you doing here?" Simba interjected angrily, cutting Asante off. "Do the others know where you are?"

"No, they don't," Nuru said.

Simba was lost for words for a moment. "How could you leave without telling anyone where you were going?" he scolded. "Nuru, I specifically told you to stay at Pride Rock. I will not have you risking your life."

Nuru rolled her eyes, completely unperturbed.

"You, Asante," Simba said, turning to his son, "I expected better from you. You followed her without informing the others that she'd left?"

"I'm sorry," Asante apologized softly, lowering his head, "but there wasn't enough time."

"I don't know why you're sorry, I'm not." Nuru muttered.

Simba glared at Nuru, so furious that he couldn't bring himself to speak another word.

Daniel, Timon, and Pumbaa kept silent, though they were all pleased to see some familiar faces. Daniel in particular was overjoyed that he would spend some more time with Asante before his journey ended.

"We need to find a way to let the pride know where you two are," Simba growled, turning away from them. "Then both of you can return to the Pride Lands."

"Nuh uh," Nuru replied calmly. "I'm not going back."

"Nuru, I told you why you can't take part in this mission," Simba sighed, looking up at the sky and the trees above him.

"I can look after myself, Simba," Nuru said, standing her ground. "You need me on this and I'm here now, so I might as well stay."

"Excuse me," Simba called out to the trees. He'd spotted a group of pygmy falcons resting in the branches above him and decided to enlist their help.

One of the birds heard Simba calling and flew down towards him. "Yes?" said the tiny raptor.

"My name is Simba, former king of the Pride Lands," Simba introduced himself. "Could you deliver a message to the lions at Pride Rock, let them know that Asante and Nuru are safe with me?"

"Of course," the bird agreed. "It would be an honor to help the royal family."

"They know Simba this far from the Pride Lands?" Daniel asked.

"The birds do," Timon replied. "They travel all over the place."

Simba thanked the bird before it flew off towards the Pride Lands. Turning back to Nuru and Asante, Simba was still contemplating what to do with them. While he considered this mission too dangerous for Nuru, it was clear that she had no intention of obeying his orders. "I can see I won't get anywhere with you," he told the lioness irritably, "so I have no option other than to let you to stay with us."

Nuru grinned triumphantly. "Glad you've come to your senses."

"But you'll be doing this at your own risk," Simba added. He turned to Asante. This was a journey he didn't want his son taking part in, but sending Asante home on his own would be dangerous. "You'll accompany us as well, Asante," Simba declared. "I'm not sending you off alone."

"Yes, Father," Asante said, both surprised and relieved.

"Great, that's sorted then," Daniel said, breaking the tension. "Asante and Nuru can accompany us the rest of the way."

"As long as she doesn't try and eat us again," Timon said, climbing on top of Pumbaa.

"I wasn't trying to eat you this time," Nuru said through gritted teeth, "but keep talking and I might just change my mind."

"Everyone chillax," Daniel said, trying to keep the peace. "Let's just get some rest, okay?"

The lions agreed but were silent for the rest of the day. Simba was still furious with Nuru and Asante, a fact that made Nuru grouchy in turn. When they continued on their journey, Asante kept to the back of the caravan, his head lowered ruefully. Daniel tried several times to engage the lions and improve their moods, though with little success.

* * *

Scene 2

The following day, Simba's party arrived in Grass Walls, Rafiki's former home. The land had seen better days, the former lush kingdom now a dusty and silent landscape. The remaining trees were as thin as skeletons and the grass was no longer lush green but dry brown. Water seemed to have no presence here.

"I thought you guys said the drought ended," Daniel noted.

"It did," Simba said. "Another drought must have hit. Rafiki's troop will have likely gone to the oasis outside Serpent River again."

"Grass Walls," Timon sighed, "they should really call this place Heat Falls, or Desert Stalls, or… Someone else come up with something that rhymes with Walls. I'm too tired to be witty right now."

Nuru gazed around the barren savannah. "So this is where my mother came from," she mumbled.

"Asante, come with me," Simba instructed. "We should find some food. The rest of you stay here until we return."

Asante followed his father, wondering how Simba expected to find food in a place like this. He gazed at the drought-stricken scene before him, the silence deafening. From the looks of it, animals hadn't lived here in a long time. "Dad, I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but how are we supposed to find food in this wasteland?"

"There's always something, Asante," Simba replied. "You just have to know where to look." He spotted a log up ahead and walked over to it, an eager glint in his eye. Asante followed, not quite sure why his father seemed so excited. Simba pushed the log with his paw and rolled it over, revealing a wide variety of bugs.

Asante stepped back, his eyes widening. "Oh no."

"Ah, here we are," Simba said with a grin. "What did I tell you?"

"You can't seriously expect me to eat that," Asante protested. "I'd rather go hungry."

"Don't be so easy to dismiss them, Asante," Simba chuckled. "I survived on these for a long time, you know."

"This is child abuse."

"You should try one before you decide to go hungry, they're really not that bad." Simba picked one up and placed it in his mouth.

"Okay, that's gross," Asante said, trying not to throw up.

Simba laughed and picked up another one.

"Oh don't eat another one," Asante complained, edging away. "I can't watch this."

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" spoke an unfamiliar voice.

Simba and Asante turned to see five hyenas step forth from the dead grass, surrounding them. It was obvious who had the advantage here, some of the hyenas taking to higher ground and climbing up on a ledge behind them.

"This is a first, eh Baasho?" spoke a male hyena, baring his teeth in pleasure. "Two lone lions in our territory. We don't see a lot of your kind out here." He circled Simba and Asante.

A second male hyena circled them in the other direction. "Hey, Banagi, how about we show these lions the consequence of encroaching on our territory?" Baasho suggested.

Simba and Asante stayed close to each other as the hyenas continued to circle. Due to Simba's old age and Asante's inexperience, they were easy targets. The other hyenas began to growl and bare their teeth, ready to attack.

Banagi glanced at Baasho before licking his teeth in anticipation. He glared at Simba and Asante. "Yes, let's show them," he chuckled.

"The older one will be easy to take down," Baasho observed, "but be careful with the younger one." He grinned cunningly at Asante. "I think three on one should even the odds."

Banagi giggled excitedly. "Attack," he ordered.

Simba and Asante prepared themselves, but the hyenas didn't move. Instead, they bowed their heads.

Banagi and Baasho looked confused. "What are you doing? Attack!" Banagi ordered angrily.

"You don't have the authority to command them, Banagi," a female voice declared. Banagi and Baasho froze in terror.

Simba and Asante looked at each other, not sure what was going on. Some of the hyenas stepped aside, paving the way for another hyena, a large female, who approached Banagi and Baasho. "That luxury is mine," she growled.

Banagi cleared his throat nervously. "Oh, Asante, I was…" Banagi paused and corrected himself. "_We_ were just trying to get these lions to leave our territory, that's all," he explained, backing off and bowing his head as the female approached.

"Huh?" Asante mumbled when he heard his name. He studied the female hyena.

Baasho also bowed, both seeming quite afraid of her.

"Their leader's a female?" Asante whispered.

"That's common among hyena packs," Simba softly replied. He lightly nudged Asante back, placing himself protectively in front of his son.

"Oh, that's all?" the female sarcastically inquired. Banagi and Baasho nodded quickly as she loomed over them. "Because from where I was standing, it sounded like you were trying to give out orders in my place," she growled.

"What?" Banagi and Baasho said in unison, both laughing nervously.

"No, we weren't doing that, were we, Baasho?" Banagi giggled, turning to his companion.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" Simba's son growled.

"Easy, Asante," Simba whispered, though he too smiled at Banagi and Baasho's fear.

"What's more, it sounded like you were ordering my pack to kill these two," the female snarled, gesturing to Simba and Asante, "after I've forbidden our clan from harming lions."

"No, no, we weren't trying to kill them, Asante," Baasho insisted. "We were just going to scare them off is all."

Asante's eyes widened and he gaped at the female. "Wait, her name's Asante too?" he gasped.

Simba's ears pricked up. "It can't be."

The female hyena turned away as Banagi and Baasho continued to cower in fear. "This is your last warning," she growled. "If I see or hear you two trying to override my authority again, I will exile both of you from the pack and leave you to starve, is that understood?"

"Of course, of course, Asante," they both said, keeping their heads bowed and their eyes closed in fear.

"Good," she said. "Now step aside and shut up." The two obeyed her without question, and she turned towards Simba and Asante. Both were staring at her, not exactly sure what to say. "Sorry about that," she said, smiling, "You'll have to excuse those idiots. They keep forgetting who really runs this pack."

"I'm sorry but what was your name again?" Asante asked, hoping he'd misheard.

"My name is Asante," the female replied. "I'm the leader of this pack – it's alpha female."

Asante laughed nervously, "I'm sorry, what?" he scoffed.

The female frowned at the younger lion. "My name's Asante," she repeated, confused by the lion's strange behavior. "Does that bother you? A name is a name, so what's the big deal?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Asante protested, "I share the same name as a hyena, not to mention a girl?"

Simba covered his mouth with his paw to hide his chuckles.

"Hey, Asante's not a boy's name!" the female scoffed.

"Well it sure as hell's not a girl's name!" Asante countered. "This is just what I need to improve my bloody self esteem. If anyone at Pride Rock finds out about this, they'll never let me forget it."

"Well, so much for 'thanks for saving my life, Asante.'" they hyena grumbled.

"You have no reason to be embarrassed, Asante," Simba said to his son. "Your mother and I named you after the Second King of Pride Rock. It's merely a coincidence that this hyena shares that name with you and our ancestor."

That didn't make Asante feel any better. "This still blows."

"Thank you for saving us, _Asante_," Simba said to the female hyena. "It's much appreciated, but in order to avoid further confusion, how about we refer to you as Asan and my son as Sante?"

The female considered it for a moment, and then said, "Sure, sounds good to me."

"Yeah, whatever," Sante muttered. "I still say Asante's not a girl's name."

"Well, now that we've taken care of that," Simba sighed, turning to the female, "it's good to see you again, Asan."

The hyena known as Asante blinked at Simba. "Wait a minute, is that you, Simba?" she asked, taking a good look at him.

Sante glanced from Asan to his father. "Wait a minute, you know each other?"

Simba smiled warmly at Asan. "Yes, she was a hyena cub who was friends with your brother Kopa. I can't believe I didn't recognize you at first, Asan."

"Well I was only a cub back then," Asan replied. "It's been a long time since I've seen your family."

The whole situation was beginning to overwhelm Sante. "Kopa was friends with a hyena?" he gasped. "Seriously?"

"Asan this is my youngest," Simba introduced his son, "who you've gathered shares the same name as you."

Asan frowned at Asante. "Nice to meet you, I guess." She smiled at Simba. "What are you doing so far from the Pride Lands, anyway?"

"It's a long story," Simba replied. "Would you and your pack mind accompanying us back to our companions. I can explain everything on the way."

Asan agreed without question. Despite being estranged from Kopa for so long, she still considered his family her allies. If they needed her help, she was willing to give it. However, not all members of her pack agreed with her decision.

"Disgusting," Baasho whispered to Banagi as Asan and the other hyenas began to follow the lions.

"So that's Simba," Banagi muttered, recalling what his father used to tell him about the Pride Landers. "That pathetic excuse for a pack leader has hit a new low."

Keeping their heads down, Banagi and Baasho silently followed.

* * *

Scene 3

Simba, Sante, and the hyenas eventually made their way back to where the others were waiting. Daniel, Nuru, Timon, and Pumbaa were patiently awaiting their return on a rocky outcropping. They discerned Simba and Asante a ways off, and gasped when they spotted a pack of hyena's following them. Timon screamed and hid behind Pumbaa's ears, pulling them together so they covered his face. "Hyenas, I hate hyenas!" Timon cried, peeking through Pumbaa's ears.

"What are they doing with Simba and Asante?" Daniel wondered, moving behind Nuru for protection.

"Not sure," Nuru said, moving forward to get a better look. "This is the first time I've ever encountered hyenas." She stood on the edge of the outcropping and waved to catch Simba and Sante's attention. Simba and Sante waved back. "They don't appear to be in danger," she observed.

As they approached, Simba was explaining the situation to Asan. He found her quite easy to talk to, as she understood things much better than other animals might have, especially regarding humans. Sante's mood had improved slightly, although working with hyenas seemed ludicrous to him. He kept looking over his shoulder to make sure none of them was preparing to attack.

"So Asan, how long have you been the pack's leader?" Simba wondered as they neared the rest of his party.

"I've been the leader for a while now," Asan replied. "You remember those two knuckleheads?" She looked over her shoulder at Banagi and Baasho.

Simba nodded. "Hard to forget someone who threatened your life fifteen minutes earlier."

"Well, Banagi's father Banzai and Baasho's father Ed used to lead this pack with my mother Shenzi," Asan revealed.

Simba stopped in his tracks and gaped at Asan. "I wasn't aware Shenzi was your mother," he gasped. Now that he knew, the thought was disturbing. "In fact, I wasn't aware the three of them were still alive." He walked on, unsure how to feel about Asan now. His memories of those three hyenas still sent a chill down his spine. He recalled how they almost killed him and Nala in the Elephant Graveyard, how they helped Scar murder his father, and how they chased him from the Pride Lands. To hear that all three of them had children was astounding. Asan was nothing like Shenzi, though Banagi definitely had Banzai's spirit in him. Baasho being Ed's son was particularly bizarre, considering how insane and incoherent Ed was, compared to how cunning Baasho seemed.

"I never brought it up when I was around Kopa," Asan noted. "They all died some time ago, not long after Zira's pride drove us from the Elephant Graveyard."

While Asan and Simba were talking, Banagi and Baasho trailed behind the pack, keeping their distance so no one heard what they said.

"I'm not sure I can take much more of this, Baasho," Banagi growled, eyeing Asan hatefully. "I'm sick of being told what to do by her. Our fathers were leaders of this pack too."

"I know and because she's older, she thinks she has the right to lead us," Baasho whispered. "From where I'm standing, she's not fit to lead at all. Simba was our parents' enemy. By showing him mercy, Asante has betrayed her clan."

"Being friends with not just a Lion King, but a personal enemy of our parents is the greatest betrayal to this pack. Asante's mother would be disgusted. We need to stop this."

"Agreed, but we need to be patient, wait for the best opportunity to remove her." Baasho grinned evilly.

"Always so cunning, my friend." Banagi matched Baasho's dark smile as they rejoined the rest of the pack.

A thunderous bang erupted from the sky, and a strange line of red smoke shot up into the air like a rope, a brilliant flash of light exploding at the top.

Nearby, Daniel and Nuru slowly turned to Timon and Pumbaa, who stood frozen, looks of dread on their faces. Daniel had left his bag unattended when he'd noticed the approach of Simba, Sante, and the hyenas. Timon and Pumbaa, being Timon and Pumbaa, had gone through his sack and messed around with his stuff. They now stood before Daniel with his flare gun lying at their feet, smoke drifting from the barrel.

"What – did – you – do?" Daniel hissed.

"Uh oh," Timon whispered.

* * *

**Continue to Chapter 5**

* * *

**Note from Asante: **Likely some of you are asking, "Asante, why did you give that hyena the same name as your Fursona?" I didn't. Asante the hyena is a semi-canon character from a foreign audiobook titled _The Lion King: Friends for Life_, which tells of Kopa making friends with a hyena cub named Asante. Also, had another idea for an outtake, which you can read below. To my co-authors, may I suggest we each do at least one outtake?

**Simba was lost for words for a moment. "How could you leave without telling anyone where you were going?" he scolded. "Nuru, I specifically told you to stay at Pride Rock. I will not have you risking your life."**

**Nuru rolled her eyes, completely unperturbed.**

**"You, Asante," Simba said, turning to his son, "I expected better from you. You followed her without informing the others that she'd left?"**

**"I'm sorry," Asante apologized softly, lowering his head, "but there wasn't enough time." He looked up at Simba with big, quivering, anime-style moe eyes.**

**Simba tried to maintain his stern expression, but looking at Asante's big, sad, adorable eyes was too much. "Oh, I can't stay mad at you," he sighed, wrapping a foreleg around Asante's shoulders and hugging him.**

**"Cut," the director groaned. "Simba, you're supposed to be a hard ass in this scene."**

**"But look at him," Simba cooed, nuzzling Asante's cheek. "He's my cute little baby boy. I'm gonna get him some ice cream."**

**The director rubbed his eyes irritably. "This is why family members shouldn't act in the same movie."**


	5. Chapter 5

**_- Chapter 5, Scenes 1-2 by Asante and TRON0602._**

**__****_- Chapter 5, Scenes 3 by TRON0602. _****_Edited by Asante._**

* * *

**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 5

Scene 1

A couple of miles away, out in a barren plane of dry, cracked earth, a group of four gathered by the corpse of a twenty-ton elephant. One of its tusks had been removed so they could gauge how much ivory they could collect.

"Good size," Mchezo decided, leaning on his rifle like a walking stick. He was an intimidating figure at six and a half feet, Tanzanian in ancestry, robust, had a shaved head, and bore one piercing gray eye with a leather eye patch over the socket where his right eye used to be. He wore a pair of jeans ripped at the knees, hiking boots, a black sleeveless T-shirt, and a holstered machete on his belt.

"Agreed," the fellow standing beside him said, puffing on a Cuban cigar. Seth had a huge grin on his face as he admired their catch. "Tusks this size will fetch a huge payment. Now aren't you glad I threw those grenades?" He slung his rifle across his back, almost identical to Mchezo's except with a targeting scope. He wore an expensive safari outfit, knee-high leather boots, leather gloves, and a blue ascot. He was Northern African, muscular, fairly tall at six feet and two inches, and wore a mohawk bordered with dollar sign tattoos.

Mchezo shook his head. "There's no sport in using grenades. You need to get in close and personal with the animal, develop a relationship with it. Only then is the hunt worthwhile."

"Spoken like a true Maasai warrior," Seth said, taking another puff of his cigar.

Mchezo smiled. The Maasai were his ancestors, warriors who hunted lions as a right of passage.

"A little help would be nice," Peter groused as he worked on separating the second tusk.

Seth laughed. "Nah, you got it. You need to pull your own weight every once in a while."

Peter grumbled irritably as he continued to saw through the ivory. A heavyset fellow with a mustache, Peter was the only American in the group, blond with a fair complexion that easily burned even with the sunscreen he continuously applied. He was dressed in khaki pants and shirt, hiking boots, and wore a shotgun over one shoulder. He paused and checked his iPhone, thinking he felt it vibrate but finding no bars.

"You won't find any reception, Pete," Mchezo sighed.

Peter tucked his phone away and continued sawing. "I hate the wilderness," he muttered, fantasizing over television, junk food, soap, wireless internet, and air conditioning.

"Well then you shouldn't have left the comforts of home," Seth mocked. He pulled his cigar from his mouth and put the lit end close to Peter's arm.

Peter swiped at Seth's hand, knocking the cigar away. "Give it a rest, Schmuck!"

Seth glared as he watched his cigar hit the ground. "That was my last one! You know how hard it is to find a good cigar like that?"

"Both of you knock it off!" Mchezo snapped.

"Yeah, the elephant was more cooperative than you too," Nguvu scolded from her perch on the dead animal's back. She jumped off and landed beside Mchezo with a machete in her hand. Though shorter than the men, Nguvu was just as strong as her brother Mchezo and had a fierce look in her yellow eyes; yellow like the animals she hunted. She wore a black tank top, ripped green shorts, a knife worn from a chain around her neck, and lion fangs hung from a gold armband around her bicep. "Honestly, Pete, when will you stop whining?"

"I'm not whining!" Peter snapped, glaring at Nguvu.

Nguvu smiled sweetly and walked up to Peter, batting her eyelashes. "Come on, Sweetie Petie, you know we're just messing with you." She picked up the saw and put it in Peter's hand. "Be a darling and finish that up, okay? I'll give you a reward later."

Peter smiled a little. "What kinda reward?"

Nguvu leaned in close to his ear. "It's a surprise."

Peter took the saw and knelt down to finish harvesting the ivory.

Seth grinned knowingly at Nguvu, and she returned his smile, lightly running her fingers along the collar of Seth's safari jacket while Peter's back was turned.

Mchezo watched the exchange with a roll of his eyes. On the one hand, he felt sorry for Peter. On the other, he decided it was the American's own fault for being so gullible.

Nguvu and Seth had been playing the newest member of their team ever since Nguvu met Peter during a tourist safari. Peter was a spoiled rich boy and thrill seeker, easily lured by Nguvu's promise of excitement. Mchezo disapproved at first, but the American's wealth proved useful. Still, Peter was not adapting well, his clumsiness costing them a kill on more than one occasion. He could take down a few birds with his shotgun at a distance, but not much else. Peter's temper was also a problem, his periodic outbursts an obvious ploy to hide his cowardice. If not for Mchezo's protection, Nguvu and Seth would have left the American for dead by now.

Standing behind Peter, Nguvu leaned in and kissed Seth on the lips, stroking his chest. Noticing her brother's look, she frowned at Mchezo. "What?" she demanded.

"Behave yourself," Mchezo replied sternly. He sometimes wondered if Nguvu even cared about Seth. As far back as he could remember, she'd been a greedy and arrogant pain in the back, fond of wealth, power, and little else. Still, Mchezo admired her fearlessness and her willingness to get her hands dirty. She could handle any weapon with relative ease, maybe even better than Mchezo, though he would never admit it. She also shared her brother's expert tracking skills. She held contempt for weak men like Peter, and Mchezo wondered how long she could keep up the ruse of dating the American.

Seth caught Nguvu's hand. "Later," he silently mouthed with a smile.

"You behave yourself too," Mchezo ordered.

Seth chuckled. "As you wish, my friend."

Although annoyed by Seth's flamboyant nature and mischievousness, Mchezo did feel some affection for their driver. He'd worked with Seth long before he and Nguvu took up with each other, and Mchezo could forgive Seth's lack of interest in the hunt. Seth's focus was the money, and he preferred to get the job done as quickly and easily as possible. He was useless with a machete, and even with his scope, he often required several shots with the rifle. Naturally, he relied on other methods for catching prey.

Just as Peter finished removing the second tusk, the group was startled by a loud explosion in the distance, the poachers momentarily blinded by a flash of light.

"Seth!" Mchezo shouted angrily.

"Hey, that one wasn't mine," Seth replied defensively.

"Look," Nguvu said, pointing to a ridge in the distance. A red line of vapor rose from the earth to a star shaped eruption of pink smoke.

"That's a flare," Mchezo noted.

"We need to get out of here," Peter said anxiously. "It might be rangers."

Mchezo frowned at the signal. "No, we'll go check it out."

"Bro, come on," Nguvu groaned.

"We're not animals," Mchezo replied darkly. "If someone needs help, we help. I'll have none of that 'dog eat dog' bullshit."

Seth smiled at their leader. "You always want to play the hero, don't you?"

* * *

Scene 2

"I needed those flares to signal rescuers!" Daniel shouted.

Timon lifted his paws defensively. "It was an accident," he said. "Besides, you still have one left."

"We're sorry, Daniel," Pumbaa insisted.

Daniel grabbed his bag and stormed off. "I can't believe this!"

Asan watched the human curiously as he walked away. "Are these humans always so irritable?"

Simba shook his head. "Daniel's actually very calm most of the time." He cast an annoyed look at Timon and Pumbaa.

"How were we supposed to know his thing would blow up?" Timon demanded.

Sante hurried after Daniel. The human sat down on a rock and pulled some fruit from his bag. "You still have one flare left," Sante assured him. "We'll be careful with it."

Daniel sighed. "Yeah, fine." He bit into the fruit.

"So you didn't bring back any food?" Nuru asked Simba.

Simba shook his head. "We were sidetracked," he explained, glancing at the hyenas. "Allow me to introduce Asante, pack leader of this clan."

Nuru stared at the hyena leader with a raised eyebrow. "Asante?" she noted. "Well, that's some coincidence."

Simba turned to hyena leader. "Asan, this is Princess Nuru of Serpent River."

"Wow, that's a bit insulting," Asan gasped. "I mean, this guy's a bit dainty, but you don't have to call him names. I mean, _princess_, ouch."

"I'm a girl!" Nuru shouted.

Asan yipped and took a step back. "Sorry, my mistake."

"I'm so sick and tired of guys mistaking me for a dude. Are you men all blind?"

Asan glared. "I'm a girl too!"

"What's going on over there?" Daniel mumbled, glancing over his shoulder.

"I don't know," Sante said. "That Asan girl's causing problems, I guess."

"Asan's a girl?" Daniel gasped.

"Don't blame you for being confused. Asante is a boy's name, after all."

"I heard that!" Asan shouted from nearby.

Daniel took another bite of his fruit when he heard a roar, though not a roar of an animal – it was the roar of an engine. "Could it be?" He stood up.

Simba noticed Daniel's reaction and his ears pricked up to the unnatural sound. "Daniel, what's happening?"

"Simba, did you hear that?" Daniel called.

Simba nodded. "Yes, do you know what it is?"

"I think it's a car." Daniel hurried to the ledge of the outcropping and scanned the desert.

"A car?" Asan asked.

"It means there are other humans out there," Daniel explained. "Look." He pointed to a white vehicle in the distance.

Sante lowered his head. "Does this mean – you have to leave now?"

Daniel sighed and walked back to Sante, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Yeah, it does, but first, I have to see if these guys are friendly, so I need you all to stay hidden. Okay?"

Sante's eyes widened. "No, I'm coming with you."

Nuru came closer. "So am I. If these guys are dangerous, then you'll need backup."

Daniel shook his head. "If they're hunters, then seeing lions as big as you…"

"Big in what way?" Nuru interjected, shooting Daniel a threatening glare.

Realizing what he said, Daniel laughed nervously. "You know, tall. Anyway, you gotta stay hidden, okay?"

"You better hurry before they leave," Simba advised.

Giving Simba a nod, Daniel jogged down the slope to the barren plane below.

"Wait, he didn't say goodbye yet," Sante protested. He took a step after Daniel.

"No, he warned us to stay hidden," Simba said, blocking Sante's path.

Sante gazed up at his father sadly and looked out to watch Daniel as he made his way to the approaching vehicle.

Daniel jogged further from the outcropping and waved with both arms to get the driver's attention. "Hey, over here!" he called. He breathed deeply as the large jeep came to a stop several yards away.

Mchezo looked out his side of the jeep at the young man. He almost called out in Swahili but then heard the boy speaking English. "What are you doing out here?" he called. "Was that your flare we saw?"

"Yeah," Daniel replied, walking towards them. "My friend's plane crashed a way's from here. I was the only survivor." He studied the four humans, trying to gauge if they were rangers or not. "Do you think you could give me a lift back to the nearest preserve?"

Mchezo looked among his party and noted their wary expressions. "He's just a boy," he told them. Looking back, he smiled and waved Daniel over. "Hop in."

Simba and Asan peered over the edge of the outcropping and watched as Daniel got into the jeep with the other humans. Simba let out a relieved sigh. "He's safe."

"What an odd herd of creatures," Asan mumbled.

Simba turned to his party. "We've accomplished our mission," he declared. "We've helped Dan return to his people."

Sante lowered his head dejectedly. "Great," he muttered.

* * *

Scene 3

Nguvu sat in the front seat beside Seth, sharing a glance with him before looking over her shoulder at their newest passenger. Mchezo smiled at her from the cab of the jeep, signaling for her to remain calm. He looked at Daniel pleasantly. "It was lucky we saw your flare."

Daniel smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, Timon – I mean…" Daniel cleared his throat. "I accidentally fired it."

Mchezo offered Daniel his hand. "I'm Mchezo."

Daniel shook his hand. "I'm Daniel Musa."

Mchezo pointed out the other members of his party. "That up front is my sister Nguvu, our driver there is Seth, and this here is Peter. Everyone, say hello to our new friend."

There were noncommittal murmurs from the others.

"Um, hi," Daniel greeted.

"You're American, aren't you?" Mchezo observed.

Daniel nodded.

"Peter here is American also," Mchezo pointed out, gesturing to the other fellow with them in the jeep's cab.

"Hi," Daniel greeted awkwardly.

Peter gave a quick nod but didn't say anything. He turned around to say something to Nguvu.

"We'll get you to the nearest village," Mchezo offered, glancing off into the distance. "They can help you find your way back to the preserve."

Daniel settled back and watched the scenery passing. As the jeep moved, a tarp covering one of the cases in the cab flapped open slightly and Daniel couldn't help glancing at the contents. He noticed a pair of elephant tusks. Eyes widening, he leaned over slowly to get a better look. He discovered some bombs, poison, and a severed Rhino horn.

Peter looked back and noticed Daniel gazing into the container. He quickly leaned forward and pulled the tarp back over the bin. "Hey!"

Mchezo looked away from the scenery at Peter. "What's the matter?"

Daniel looked at Peter blankly, trying to appear nonchalant. "Sorry, what?"

Peter glared at him and looked to Mchezo. "He saw what's in here," he explained.

Mchezo glanced at Daniel and smiled mildly. "Did you now?"

Daniel shook his head quickly. "I – I didn't – I mean, I don't…"

"He knows," Peter said, addressing Seth and Nguvu. He turned back to Mchezo. "What do we do?"

Mchezo regarded Daniel calmly. "Now there's no need for any trouble," he explained. "Don't you agree, Mr. Musa?"

Daniel nodded, trembling slightly.

"Good, so I will make you a deal. You won't tell anyone about our activities," his smile vanished, replaced with a cold glare, "and in return, we won't leave you out here to die. Understood?"

Daniel nodded quickly. "I understand."

"I don't like it, Mchezo," Seth called from the driver's seat.

"He'll rat us out," Peter agreed. "I'm not getting locked up for poaching."

Mchezo glared at Seth and Peter. "Our new friend said he understood." He smiled tenderly at Daniel. "You wouldn't lie to your saviors, would you, Daniel?"

"No," Daniel said quickly. "You can trust me."

"There's one sure way to keep him from talking," Peter said, touching his shotgun.

Mchezo gripped his machete. "None of you are to touch him," he growled. "Am I clear?"

Seth snorted. "Boss, you're going to get us locked up."

Nguvu glared at Seth, and he gulped. She gave Peter a similar look and he set his gun aside. "Glad that we all agree," she said sweetly, climbing from her seat and moving into the back to sit beside Daniel. She ran her fingers through his hair. "So you've been on the real wild side, right?"

Daniel nodded, his heart racing – and not just because of the beautiful woman stroking his hair.

* * *

**Continue to Chapter 6**

* * *

******Note from Asante: **Tron and I worked together on the first two scenes, trying to figure out how to characterize the poachers without turning them into clones of Percival C. McLeach (_The_ _Rescuers Down Under_) or Cecil Clayton (_Tarzan_), though I do admit we dressed Seth up in an outfit very similar to Clayton's. Anyway, here's another outtake that Tron and I did together:

**"Well then you shouldn't have left the comforts of home," Seth mocked. He pulled his cigar from his mouth and put the lit end close to Peter's arm.**

**Peter swiped at Seth's hand, knocking the cigar away. "Give it a rest, Schmuck!"**

**The cigar flew out of Seth's hand and fell into his collar, going down his shirt. Seth yelped as it burned his skin. "Ouch, hot, hot, hot!"**

**"Cut!" Tron roared from offset. "Peter, you were supposed to send it to the ground, not his shirt."**

**"You think I did that on purpose?" Peter snapped. "Seth, stop, drop, and roll. Stop, drop, and roll!"**

**"First of all, I say cut," the director said, nudging Tron aside, "and secondly, Seth stop fooling around."**

**"I wouldn't need to say it if you did your job right," Tron muttered.**

**"Tron, don't tick off the director, this is the tenth one we've hired," Asante whispered.**

**"Sure Sante, whatever you say," Tron said, rolling his eyes.**

**"I'm not fooling around!" Seth shouted. He jumped into a tub conveniently placed nearby. "Ah, that feels better."**

******A grunt was heard from nearby as Seth saw Nuru soaking wet by the tub. "You splashed my mane," she growled murderously.**  



	6. Chapter 6

**_- Chapter 6, Scenes 1-3 by_****__****_ Incarnate Firefly. _****_Edited by Asante._**

* * *

**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 6

Scene 1

Simba spoke with Asan and her pack, thanking them for their hospitality. "Now that Daniel has been reunited with his people, it's time for us to return to Pride Rock."

Nuru was watching the jeep disappear into the distance. "Those humans give me a bad feeling," she muttered.

"They're an odd bunch, all right," Timon agreed. "What do you think that car thing is made of? He called it a car, didn't he?"

"It looked like it was some kind of metal," Pumbaa offered, "like Daniel's flare gun."

Timon groaned. "Pumbaa, what did I tell you about making stuff up? How can something that big move so quickly if it's metal?"

"Guys, I'm serious," said Nuru. "I could have sworn I smelled some kind of elephant from that – um, _car_. Maybe rhino too."

Simba caught Nuru's last words as he walked over. "Are you sure, Nuru?"

Nuru frowned. "It was hard to tell. There was an odd burning scent coming out of the car's rear end."

"Are you sure it wasn't Pumbaa?" Timon laughed.

"It wasn't me that time," Pumbaa whined.

"Maybe I was imagining it," Nuru sighed.

Simba turned to look at the receding car as well, which was now just a speck on the horizon. "I hope Daniel's all right," he murmured.

"Right then," said Timon, "what say we start making our way back home, Simba old pal?"

Simba didn't respond immediately, gazing pensively at the retreating car. "Of course," he sighed. He turned and looked around, his eyes widening. "Has anyone seen Asante?"

"I'm right here," Asan called.

"No, I mean my son," Simba explained.

"He was kinda upset that Daniel left," Nuru observed. "I think he wanted to be alone for a while."

Simba scanned the area, trying to find any sign of Sante's whereabouts. "Then I suppose we can wait until he gets back," he said reluctantly.

"Why don't we scrounge up some food for you all in the meantime," Asan offered. "We have some rotten meat stored nearby."

"Rotten meat?" Nuru scoffed. "Won't you get sick on that?"

Asan raised an eyebrow. "We eat rotten meat all the time. It doesn't bother us."

"You almost forget she's a hyena when you talk to that Asan girl," Timon noted, "until she talks about rotten meat, yuck."

Asan rolled her eyes. "Fine, we have some fresher stuff for your sensitive little lion tummies." She turned and started to lead the way.

Several yards away, Sante waited until the rest of the party disappeared behind the rocky outcropping. He emerged from behind a tall bush and began running after the car. It was moving very quickly but Sante hoped they would make a stop soon.

Simba wouldn't approve, and Daniel himself had told the lions not to let the humans see them. _But if these humans really have rescued Daniel, then they couldn't be dangerous,_ Sante thought. He followed the car's tire tracks and the dust cloud that trailed behind the vehicle, which was visible even from a distance. Sante's breath began to come up short. _Maybe if I get close enough, they will see me and stop the car._

To Sante's relief, the jeep came to a stop by a lone tree. It looked like the humans were getting out as well. They were still very far off but Sante felt a fresh surge of energy. He would reach them in no time.

* * *

Scene 2

"For crying out loud, Peter," Nguvu grumbled. "This is the third time you've needed to use the bathroom in an hour."

"I don't want to die of dehydration," Peter said defensively. "It's healthy to drink eight glasses of water per day, you know."

"Dehydration," she repeated sarcastically. "I guess you can add that to the list of things you're afraid of out here."

"Can you two stop arguing for more than five minutes?" Mchezo said sharply. "You, Daniel."

"Me?" Daniel said timidly.

"If you need to use the bathroom, I suggest you do it now. We're not stopping again."

"Oh, uh, I'm good," Daniel replied. "Th – thanks anyway."

"Suit yourself," grunted Seth as he hopped from the driver's seat.

Daniel watched as the poachers took a walk around the area, stretching their legs while Peter relieved himself.

Seth had left the engine running, and Daniel's eyes drifted to the steering wheel and gearshift. He could jump into the driver's seat and leave the poachers behind before they knew what was happening – except it was a manual. _Crap,_ Daniel thought. He also observed that Mchezo was astute enough to have his rifle on him.

_It would be cruel to leave the poachers out here to die, _Daniel thought, though he wasn't about to rule out the possibility that they would change their minds and just shoot him. Daniel steeled himself, mentally preparing to vault over the driver's seat and put the jeep into first gear. He was about to snap into motion when Nguvu's words caught his attention.

"...Been a while since we found any more lions," she was saying. "I thought there were supposed to be a lot of them around here."

"It shouldn't be long before we find them," Seth replied, "provided our _amazing_ driver doesn't steer us off course. Our outward sweep should bring us into their territory by tomorrow at the latest."

"Remember that 700-pounder we came across a few weeks ago?" Nguvu said thoughtfully. "The one Mchezo wounded before it got away. That thing was a beauty."

Mchezo caught wind of their conversation and walked over. "We never did find that thing's body," he grunted.

"Maybe those conservationists found it," Seth pointed out. He turned to Daniel, one eyebrow raised. "What are you staring at?"

Daniel sat rigidly in the truck's cab, hands trembling on his knees. He forced himself to remain calm, trying to shut out the memory of Ni's soulful eyes. "Nothing," he lied.

Mchezo suddenly loaded his gun. He gazed off into the distance, an eager glint in his eye. Daniel looked to see what he was staring at, and his blood ran cold.

Sante was approaching, completely unaware of the danger.

"Well hello there," Mchezo whispered, pulling back the slide on his gun.

Daniel saw Seth moving for his rifle, which was propped against the jeep. Without thinking, Daniel knocked the rifle over and kicked it under the car. He didn't acknowledge Seth's angry shout as he charged at Mchezo, who was taking aim at Sante. "Asante, run!"

Sante stopped, remembering what a human rifle looked like and realizing that he was staring down the barrel of one.

Daniel slammed into Mchezo, who fired on reflex. The bullet whizzed past Sante's ear, just barely missing him. The lion flinched but then turned and ran as Peter came rushing upon the scene too late.

"You little punk," Nguvu snarled, prying Daniel off Mchezo and pinning his hands behind his back.

Seth had managed to retrieve his rifle from under the jeep. "I knew there was something off about him. Let's get rid of him right now."

"No," Mchezo said, stumbling to his feet. He brushed the dust off himself and slung his gun back over his shoulder. He grabbed Daniel around the face and looked into his eyes. "You said something to that lion," he observed. "What was it?"

Daniel gazed fearfully into Mchezo's eyes, but didn't respond.

"He said, 'Asante, run,' I think," Nguvu supplied.

Mchezo raised an eyebrow. "Asante? 'Thank you?' Who were you thanking, Danny?"

Daniel shook his head. "I don't… I didn't."

Mchezo thought for a moment. "That's his name," he suggested. "You named the lion Asante." A smile spread across his face. "Something tells me you know where to find the lions around here."

* * *

Scene 3

It was well into the night and Simba paced worriedly on the outcropping. He was about to ask Asan's pack for help to find Sante when he heard Nuru's shout nearby.

"He's back!" Nuru called.

Relieved, Simba made his way around the rocks to see Nuru standing with Sante, thankfully unharmed but breathless.

"Asante, where have you been?" Simba scolded. "Don't you know we've all been waiting for you?"

"Dad…" Sante wheezed.

"What if there were more humans around here?" Simba continued. "You could've been hurt!"

"Dad, listen..."

"I know it was hard to say goodbye to Daniel, but it's time to go home."

"Dad!" Sante shouted. "Something's happened! We have to help Daniel! Those humans he's with are Lion Hunters!"

"What?" Nuru gasped.

"One of them tried to kill me with a gun," Sante continued, "but Daniel stopped them."

Simba's eyes grew wide. He came closer and nuzzled his son. "Then we must save him," he whispered grimly.

"Let's not go rushing off right away," Nuru interjected. "Sante needs to catch his breath and tell us what he saw. Every detail could be important if we're going to get Daniel back."

While the lions conversed with each other, Banagi and Baasho were crouched around the corner of the outcropping, listening intently. "Knowing Asante, she'll agree to help these lions get their friend back," Baasho whispered.

"Fat chance we're going," Banagi grumbled. "There's no way I'm getting killed by some Lion Hunter for those lions."

"You idiot," Baasho hissed, "this could be our chance. These Lion Hunters are dangerous, right? It would be too easy to arrange a little accident for our dear pack leader."

As this scheme sank in, a gleeful smile spread across Banagi's face.

* * *

**Continue to Chapter 7**

* * *

**Note: **The following outtake is brought to us by Incarnate Firefly:

**Daniel saw Seth moving for his rifle, which was propped against the jeep. Without thinking, Daniel knocked the rifle over. A bullet discharged from the barrel and punched through the jeep's tire.**

**"Whoa!" Seth yelled as he and Daniel simultaneously jumped back in alarm. "No one told me we were using actual guns!"**

**"We're using actual guns?" Mchezo said in surprise. He dropped his rifle, causing another bullet to fly through the jeep's windshield.**

**"Stop blowing holes in my jeep!" the director yelled angrily. ****"Yes, we're using actual guns, because CGI and sound effects are lame! Mchezo, pick up your damn rifle!"**

**Mchezo shook his head. "I can't, I'm a pacifist."**

**"What?" the director sputtered. "What does that have to do with anything? It's not like you're going to actually shoot anyone!"**

******"And if you're a pacifist, why'd you audition as one of the most dangerous characters in the cast?" added Incarnate from offset.**

**Mchezo thought about this for a second. "It'll look good on my resumé?" he offered feebly.**

**Asante (the author) placed his face in his hands exasperatedly. "The cameras are still rolling, guys."**

**Tron poked his head out from a nearby door. "Cut," he said with a grin.**

**********"Screw you, Tron!" the director yelled.**


	7. Chapter 7

**_- Chapter 7, Scenes 1-2 by Dreaming18. Edited by Asante._**

* * *

**The Lion King VI:**

**Fall of Man**

Chapter 7

Scene 1

Darkness had fallen and the poachers unpacked a few lanterns. Nguvu was fastening a rope around Daniel's wrists. "That should do it," she said. "You won't be trying anything funny, will you? Now get in the jeep." She pushed him into the back of the vehicle.

Daniel kept silent, wincing as the rope dug into his wrists.

Mchezo sat next to Daniel. "I'd like to share something with you," he said. "Nguvu and I are descended from the Maasai."

Daniel kept silent but glanced at Mchezo.

"Hunting lions is a rite of passage for the Maasai," Mchezo explained. "It's a sign of bravery and personal achievement. Since you know so much about the lions in this area, how about we make this hunt your right of passage?"

Daniel turned away from Mchezo and shook his head. "You're not Maasai warriors."

Mchezo tilted his head. "Pardon?"

"Lion hunting may be a historical practice for the Maasai," Daniel continued. "When the lion population was high, solo lion hunting was encouraged, but in the past decade, the lion population receded. Now Maasai warriors hunt in groups to give the lion population a chance to recover." He looked at Mchezo then. "The Maasai warriors take the welfare of the lion population into consideration, but you don't. You're just a trophy hunter."

Mchezo gazed unemotionally at Daniel. "I'm sorry you feel that way. Still, you will show us where the lions are." He turned to his companions. "Seth, let's get going."

Seth switched the engine on and begun to drive away.

Hiding in the long grass nearby, Simba's party and Asan's clan had arrived just in time. The lions and hyenas kept close together, eyeing the jeep as it started to depart.

"Are we all clear on the plan?" Simba whispered, glancing at the others.

They all nodded.

"Let's go," Asan said.

The lions and hyenas sprung from the grass and ran out in front of the jeep, deliberately attracting the humans' attention. The poachers were momentarily stunned at the sudden appearance of the animals in their headlights. Recognizing his friends, Daniel didn't know whether to be relieved or frightened for his loved ones.

"Seth, get after them," Mchezo ordered, grabbing his gun.

"Come on, Mchezo," Seth protested, "it's too dark."

"I said after them!" Mchezo roared.

Seth drove the jeep after the animals while Nguvu and Peter also grabbed their guns.

"I don't believe it," Mchezo laughed. "Look at all of them."

"Looks like that lion of yours has come back to save you, Danny boy," Nguvu said, taking aim with her gun. "How sweet."

Peter held up one of the lanterns, trying to reveal their quarry. Mchezo took one last glance at Daniel before turning away. He raised his gun and fired.

Sante heard a bullet fly right by his ear, just barely missing him.

While the poachers continued to shoot with their backs turned to Daniel, Timon and Pumbaa ran along the opposite side of the jeep. Daniel's eyes widened when he saw the warthog and meerkat. "Timon? Pumbaa?"

While Pumbaa raced to keep abreast with the jeep, Timon jumped into the cab. He landed clumsily but quickly righted himself. "Don't worry, Danny," Timon whispered, "we'll get you out of here."

Mchezo glanced over his shoulder to check on the prisoner. Timon dashed behind Daniel before the poacher could see him. Satisfied that their prisoner was still secure, Mchezo returned to shooting at the lions and hyenas, who had taken to some rocky outcroppings where they would have better cover.

"They're going to get themselves killed," Daniel whispered anxiously.

"Not if we get out of here first," Timon replied softly, beginning to untie the rope around Daniel's wrists.

In the midst of the chaos, the lions and hyenas dispersed among a field of boulders. Some continued to flee, zigzagging around the rocks to confuse the poachers. Others stopped to rest, keeping out of sight. Asan and Banagi took cover behind one of the boulders. Staying low, Asan glanced around the stone. She pulled her head back just as Mchezo fired at her, narrowly avoiding the bullet. "We got to keep moving," she whispered.

Standing behind his pack leader, Banagi smiled darkly. "Goodbye, you lion loving traitor." With a maniacal laugh, he shoved Asan.

"What the…?" Asan gasped, tumbling out into the open.

Mchezo noticed Asan's reappearance and took aim.

"Look out!" Nuru screamed, leaping in front of Asan just as Mchezo fired.

Asan flinched when she heard the shot. She watched as the large lioness tumbled to the ground beside her. "Nuru?" she gasped.

Nuru let out a roar of agony. "My leg!" she yelled.

"Nuru!" Sante cried out, ducking around an outcropping.

Mchezo tried to take aim again but the jeep hit a sharp turn around another boulder, which hid his targets. "Damn it, Seth!" he snapped.

"You try maneuvering around these blasted rocks!" Seth shouted.

Asan protectively crouched over Nuru. She turned to Banagi, her eyes filling with rage. "You!" she snarled. "You meant to kill me!"

With his scheme exposed and his clan leader's murderous eyes on him, Banagi spun around and fled in terror. As he did so, the poachers' jeep shot around a bend. Banagi ran out right in front of them, caught in the light of their lanterns. As Banagi gaped at the hunters, Nguvu swung her rifle around and fired. Banagi fell to the earth and never got back up again.

"Got one!" Nguvu declared triumphantly.

Behind her, Timon had finished untying Daniel. With Mchezo, Nguvu, and Peter still distracted, Daniel crept up behind Seth. He folded his hands into a tight ball and brought his fists down hard on the back of the driver's head. Seth jerked, inadvertently turning the wheel as he fell unconscious. The car swerved sharply, sending Mchezo, Nguvu, and Peter flying out of the jeep. The car crashed into a nearby tree and Daniel was pitched over the side.

Simba, Sante, and the other hyenas ran to the car. "Daniel," Simba called.

Daniel stumbled shakily to his feet and gripped the car door to steady himself. He took note of Seth, who was groaning loudly. As the driver roused himself, an idea seized Daniel. He reached around the steering wheel and grabbed the keys from the ignition.

"Hey," Seth muttered drowsily, trying to grab for Daniel's hand.

Daniel threw the car keys into the long grass.

"Daniel," Sante called out, running to his friend's side.

"Gotta go!" Daniel declared, climbing onto Sante's back.

Timon woozily pulled himself out of the back of the jeep. "Yeehaw," he mumbled, tumbling from the jeep's cab onto Pumbaa's back.

"Way to go, Timon!" Pumbaa cheered.

Lying across Pumbaa's back, Timon lifted his head. "I'm awesome," he declared, and then passed out.

"Let's go!" Simba ordered. He ran from the jeep with his companions following close behind. They hurried back to Asan and Nuru.

Momentarily dazed from falling out of the jeep, Mchezo reached for his gun.

Baasho hid behind a boulder and watched as Asan and the other hyenas assisted Nuru to her feet. "So close," he growled, glaring at his clan leader. He stepped forth to rejoin them, ready to deny his involvement with Banagi's treachery.

Mchezo leveled his gun and fired.

Baasho fell dead upon his face.

"Go!" Simba shouted.

The rescue party fled, and Mchezo tried to take aim a second time. He fired off another round.

Simba heard a bullet zip past his ears. Turning a bend, the animals disappeared into the night.

With a furious groan, Mchezo threw his gun to the ground and kicked the dirt, sending dust flying into the air.

* * *

Scene 2

Daniel washed his hands in a nearby stream while the animals looked on. Once he was clean, he held his pocketknife over the flame of Bruce's lighter, sterilizing the blade. "This is going to hurt," he warned Nuru, "but I need to remove the bullet."

Nuru groaned. "Just do it."

Simba gently crouched over Nuru and held her paws in place so she wouldn't struggle. Sante anxiously hovered nearby. Daniel moved in and quickly cut the bullet wound half an inch wider. Nuru tensed but didn't move. Her fur bristled as Daniel lightly pulled the wound open. Carefully, he reached in and tugged the bullet out. "Got it," he declared, tossing the slug away.

"Son of a bitch!" Nuru roared.

Daniel picked up his walking stick and checked the gourds. "Green powder," he mumbled, opening the first gourd, then the second. "Green powder… Oh, here it is." He poured some green powder into his hand and then massaged it into Nuru's wound.

Nuru tensed again. "Ow!"

"Sorry," Daniel sighed," but I have to disinfect it." He finished applying the powder and sat back. "There, that should do for now. Just keep the wound clean – and don't lick it."

Simba stepped back to give Nuru some space, releasing her paws.

"You saved my life," Asan declared, moving closer to Nuru.

"No problem," Nuru muttered.

"We lost Banagi and Baasho," Sante noted.

Asan shrugged. "I certainly won't miss them, treacherous scoundrels."

"I can't believe Banagi tried to kill you," Simba sighed.

"I can," Asan growled. "I'm not surprised at all."

"I'm just glad the rest of you are okay." Daniel said. "You all put yourselves at risk to save me. I'm so thankful." He fought back tears.

"Daniel, we'd do anything to keep you safe," Simba said, smiling gently. "You're important to us and we promised we'd get you home."

Daniel hugged the old lion around the neck. "Oh Simba."

Simba purred and lightly patted Daniel's shoulder with his paw. "If you have anyone to thank, it's Asante."

"Damn skippy," Asan said. "Did you see my guys out there? We were fantastic!"

The other hyenas in Asan's clan perked up, their ears lifting.

Simba laughed nervously. "Um, I was actually talking about my son."

Asan and the other hyenas groaned.

"Not to say that your help isn't appreciated," Simba hastily added. "Without your clan's assistance, we could never have rescued Daniel. All I meant was that it was Sante who warned us that Daniel was in danger."

Daniel turned to Sante. "Why did you follow me? The poachers almost shot you."

Sante lowered his head sheepishly. "I just wanted to say goodbye."

Daniel hugged Sante as well.

"Nuru must be taken back to Pride Rock," Simba sighed, glancing at the injured lioness. "With her injury, there's no way she can continue on this mission."

"We'll take her back," Timon offered. Pumbaa nodded in agreement.

"Okay, but the three of you will be unable to protect yourselves from predators," Simba pointed out.

Asan glanced at her three remaining clan mates and they all bowed their heads to her. "We'll protect them," Asan offered. "The four of us will be enough to see them safely back to Pride Rock. It's the least I can do after Nuru saved me."

"Thank you, Asan," Simba replied. "I suggest you leave immediately."

"We all need to get moving," Daniel said. "Once it's daylight, Mchezo will start tracking us."

Sante turned to Nuru, a soft look in his eyes.

"What's that soppy look for?" Nuru asked with a smile.

"Nothing, it's just that I thought…" Sante hesitated. "I thought I lost you there for a moment."

"You were that worried?" Nuru asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah, but don't read too much into it," Sante said, quickly turning defensive. "Just get back to Pride Rock safely."

Nuru leaned over and licked Sante's cheek. "Whatever you say." She smiled warmly. "Be safe, and get our human friend home safely."

With the support of Asan and her hyenas, Nuru stood and begun to limp away on three legs, Timon and Pumbaa leading the way. Simba, Sante, and Daniel watched them leave, praying for their safe return.

* * *

**Stay Tuned For Chapter 8**

* * *

The following outtake is brought to us by Dreaming18:

**With his scheme exposed and his clan leader's murderous eyes on him, Banagi spun around and fled in terror. As he did so, the poachers' jeep shot around a bend. Banagi ran out right in front of them, caught in the light of their lanterns. As Banagi gaped at the hunters, Nguvu swung her rifle around and fired. Banagi hit the ground.**

**"Got one!" Nguvu declared triumphantly.**

**Banagi stood up like nothing had happened.**

**"Wait I didn't get him?" Nguvu gasped.**

**"Cut!" the director shouted before Tron had another chance to.**

**Seth brought the car to a stop.**

**"Banagi, you're supposed to be dead," the director growled. "In my experience, dead creatures do not get back up again."**

**"I thought it would make for an awesome plot twist," Banagi argued. "Come on, my character doesn't deserve to die just like that."**

**The director buried his head in his hands. "Your character tried to assassinate Asan," he groaned, "just like how your dad helped assassinate Mufasa. Your character does deserve to die. You don't get to choose how you die. It's already been decided for you, understand? Now get back…"**

**"Decided for me?" Banagi cut in. "I should at least get to choose how I die in this scene. Honestly, we hyenas are always being persecuted in these speciesist films!"**

**"No, you're the only hyena being persecuted against in this film," the director said. "Well, you and Baasho because, let's face it, you're the ones trying to get rid of Asan and nobody expects you to succeed."**

**"Hey!" Baasho shouted from off to the side.**

**"See, even Baasho…" Banagi started.**

**"Enough!" the director shouted. "We'll have to shoot this whole scene again, so get back into place. Oh, and Banagi."**

**"Yes?" Banagi groaned.**

******"STAY DEAD!"**  


* * *

**Authors Note: **I just heard that Disney is working on a new cartoon TV series titled _The Lion Guard_, a spinoff of _The Lion King_ films. From what I've read, it centers on the adventures of Simba and Nala's son "Kion." The article also says that Mufasa (presumably his ghost), Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu and Kiara will all make cameos. On the one hand, I've always wanted to see a continuation of _The Lion King_ films (the reason I started writing fan fiction). On the other… UGH! Now my fan fiction's timeline contradicts _The Lion King_ canon. My OCD is inflamed! I'll just have to wait to see the new series. Maybe after I watch it, I can edit my fan fiction to try and coincide with the new established continuity. **Update:** I don't mean to say I'll wait for the series to come out before finishing this fan fiction. We'll get this sucker done before the end of summer.


End file.
